Mayor: Recall fueled by liars

Bermudez: Effort to oust him too pricey

Dec. 5, 2013

Ruben Bermudez

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BERMUDEZ RESPONDS

This is response to the recall petition that has been submitted by Mayor Ruben Bermudez to the City Clerk’s Office for approval:

STOP! DON’T SIGN THIS PETITION & WASTE $85,000 in TAX DOLLARS! The people distributing this petition are lying and cannot be trusted. Mayor Bermudez is a competent Mayor and has done nothing wrong, nothing illegal and/or nothing immoral. Your Mayor is only trying to change the inefficient & ineffective organization he inherited, and the “good old boys network” trying to stop him. Don’t be fooled! By signing this recall petition you’re supporting wasteful, self-interest, business as usual in Vineland. IF YOU BELIEVE IN GOOD, MORAL, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT, DON’T SIGN THIS PETITION! For more information, see www.VinelandTruth.com

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VINELAND — The organizers of a petition drive to remove Mayor Ruben Bermudez from office through a recall election “are lying and cannot be trusted,” the embattled, first-year incumbent responded Thursday.

Bermudez included the charges in a 115-word statement filed with the City Clerk’s Office. It is his official response to charges from the Committee to Recall Mayor Ruben Bermudez that he is “unfit” for office and has misused his authority.

“Don’t be fooled!” the mayor’s statement reads in part. “By signing this recall petition you’re supporting wasteful, self-interest, business as usual in Vineland.”

Recall committee member Tami Harold said the mayor has every right to defend himself. But the personal insults are inappropriate, she said.

“I’m not a liar and, actually, not politically involved,” Harold said. “I’m speaking to the citizens of Vineland just as a regular citizen. I have no interest in becoming mayor.”

Harold said she would not call the mayor a liar and chided him for not living up to the principles of his own, often-proclaimed faith.

“If he is such a Christian, I don’t know how he is casting judgment on me or anybody else,” she said. “Don’t judge us for trying to better our city. But no, I’m not angry with him at all. It’s not a personal attack against him.”

City Clerk Keith Petrosky is responsible for overseeing the recall drive. He was off work Thursday but is expected to review the mayor’s statement this morning to determine if it complies with New Jersey election law.

Petrosky has two business days, after the filing date, to deliver a copy of the mayor’s answer to the recall committee. The statement, once approved by the clerk, must be on the petitions that the committee will prepare for publishing.

Petrosky estimates the cost of a special recall election at $85,000. The mayor drew attention to that price tag in his statement as another reason why voters shouldn’t sign the petition in favor of a recall.

But Harold said there’s reason to think a special election would result in a net financial gain for the city.

“I would like the people of Vineland to know there has been talk among other people who are politically involved, not myself, that as soon as they get in office they could save the city $200,000 to $250,000 within minutes,” Harold said. “So if you subtract it from the $250,000, I guess you have about $160,000 in savings.”

Harold said the recall committee, which comprises five city residents, has 60 volunteers lined up to circulate the petition when its final form is approved. The petition needs at least 9,444 signatures from registered voters here in order for the recall election to be held, according to the committee.

The recall effort officially started Nov. 22 when Harold and local car dealer Moises Afanador hand-delivered a “Notice of Intention” to Petrosky. It included a short statement of reasons the group wants a recall election.

After checking it for compliance with guidelines, Petrosky served the notice to the mayor as required. The mayor had the option of not filing a rebuttal.

The recall committee will have a maximum of 160 business days to collect signatures once the clerk approves the petition for use.

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